I am seeking advice on how to plan for future VSL purchases. My funds are very limited, and at best I can only purchase a library or two every couple of years, so it is important to make wise choices. I currently own all four of the SE and SE+ libraries. Your advice is most appreciated.
In thinking about it there seems to be a number of options. What would be a wise approach?
1. First approach: save for AP strings and extended. Advantages: it seems to me that the extended libaries are important for realistic interpretation. Having additional strings would be my first priority. Drawback: due to limited funds this would need to be my only planned library purchase. It also seems to me that many users stick primarily to the standard libraries. Any thoughts or comments?
2. Second approach: save for a couple standard libraries, and use my existing SE+ libraries for trills, and some of the other articulations as needed. Advantage: could possibly buy a couple of standard libraries this way. Concern: how well would using some SE+ patches mesh with sounds from the full libraries? Would this be a good approach, or not?
3. Other possible purchase instead of, or in addition to, the above: Vienna Suite. Advantage: I have much to learn about mixing and mastering, being a complete noob to those tasks. The Vienna Suite looks like it would be most useful as well as a big help in the learning process. Questions: for those who have purchased it, how valuable have you found it to be? Would you suggest purchasing it relatively soon, or waiting?
4. In general, what have users found to be a good upgrade path from the four SE and SE+ libaries? Is there a fairly common approach?
5. Computer power required for the above plus my existing SE libraries: I currently have a PC with a Q9550 processor and 8 gigs of ram for all of my sample libraries. How many VSL libraries would I be able to run well on that one machine?
Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.
Last, I would simply like to say thank you to the VSL team, for the quality of your products. For what I am seeking to do, even with just SE, the overall sound is excellent, and the GUI is very well laid out (though I readily admit that I have much to learn).